Beauty alert: Stay Young!

Apart from ushering you into adulthood and bringing you more freedom, your 20s are also the years when your skin gets out of the awkward acne-riddled teenage phase. The skin glows in all its glory and is supple, soft and line-free. This is primarily due to high levels of collagen, the naturally occurring protein that is responsible for the firm and youthful appearance of skin. However, over time, your skin matures and loses its elasticity under the harsh influence of the sun, environmental pollution and stress.

THE SCULPTED LOOK 
Young and normal healthy skin has a fantastic outer layer that is bright, even and unblemished. Components like collagen (firmness), elastin (elasticity and rebound) and GAGs (glycosaminiglycans that provide hydration) all contribute to the health and physical appearance of your skin. They’re also responsible for your skin’s sculpted look, which is necessary for it to look young. Your skin will look sculpted when it is:
FIRM AND NOT SAGGY
RADIANT
PLUMP AND YOUTHFUL

CAUSE AND EFFECT 
After the age of 20, a person produces one per cent less collagen in the skin with each passing year. As a result, your skin becomes thinner with age. There is also diminished functioning of the sweat and oil glands, less elastin production, and less GAG formation. Wrinkle formation, as a result of intrinsic ageing, is inevitable, though it will be imperceptible at first. But, when combined with external factors like sun exposure, pollution, poor diet and smoking, the exaggerated loss of collagen, elastin and GAGs start showing up as an uneven and dull complexion, and thin saggy skin with deep wrinkles.

START NOW! 
As clichéd as it sounds, prevention is (always) better than cure! And it is also key to minimising those uninvited lines on your face. So start taking care of your skin before all the changes take place. Though each person ages differently, here are a few signs to look out for in your mid to late 20s.
DARK SPOTS
PIGMENTATION ON THE CHEEKS
FINE LINES AROUND THE EYES